Is there a doctor in the house?

In fact, we're after lots of doctors. Medical are preferred but we'd also like to hear from PhDs, especially those with pertinent specialities such as statistical research, engineering and impact testing. Why? To add to the list of 46 top docs BikeBiz.com found and who agreed to sign a pro-science, anti-compulsion cycle helmet letter to the British Medical Association. It's a numbers game, the more experts we can add to our list, the harder it will be for the BMA to argue it has the support of its membership base.

In fact, we're after lots of doctors. Medical are preferred but we'd also like to hear from PhDs, especially those with pertinent specialities such as statistical research, engineering and impact testing. Why? To add to the list of 46 top docs BikeBiz.com found and who agreed to sign a pro-science, anti-compulsion cycle helmet letter to the British Medical Association. It's a numbers game, the more experts we can add to our list, the harder it will be for the BMA to argue it has the support of its membership base.

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Bear in mind that the BMA's October volte face on cycle helmet compulsion was not put to a vote, it was decided by a committee following representation from one A&E consultant and a helmet compulsion political lobby group.

The last time the BMA put helmet compulsion to the vote, members voted against. The BMA's position used to be pro-helmet, anti-compulsion.

And this is the BikeBiz.com position too. The BikeBiz.com editor cycles his kids to school every day: all four cyclists don lids.

Many cycle keenies wear helmets. That's their choice.

But force fair-weather cyclists to wear helmets and, guess what, a large proportion of them will walk or drive or take the bus instead. Cycling is a delicate flower, easily crushed.

The BMA's stance on this issue is an important one. The government listens to the BMA. Other medical and safety groups listen to the BMA.

The BMA ought to take positions on devisive topics only after widespread consultation and studies. The BMA's own 1999 report on helmets came down firmly against compulsion, for health reasons.

Click in to the link below for an index of 44 stories on BikeBiz.com's campaign against cycle helmet compulsion. There's a huge body of evidence that shows helmet compulsion is bad news. Let's hope we can, together, persuade the BMA to review such evidence before the April meeting of the Board of Science.